This invention relates generally to drill rigs and more particularly to drill rod gripping mechanisms used to grip and move drill rods from a storage carousel to the drill string of a drill rig.
Prior art drill rod changers of the kind that provide both an extend function and a grip function have a disadvantage in both drill change time and maintenance requirements. Having a separate extend and a separate grip function requires two sets of actuators and two sets of wear points to be maintained. The separate functions also require additional operator input twice during each rod change; once to extend the gripper into the carousel, and once to cause the gripper to grip the drill rod.
The foregoing illustrates limitations known to exist in present drill rod gripping mechanisms. Thus, it is apparent that it would be advantageous to provide an alternative directed to overcoming one or more of the limitations set forth above. Accordingly, a suitable alternative is provided including features more fully disclosed hereinafter.